“The Meal Transformation Game”
Have you tried this game?
.jpg)
I want to share an article I recently read about transforming your meals into healthier options. It’s about making the right choices that fits your lifestyle. Meal plans and counting macros is not for everybody and sometimes all you need to do is change a few things to make your lifestyle healthier.
You don’t need to weigh and measure everything, or count out your almonds. Ask yourself: “Is someone paying me to do this?” If the answer is no, you likely don’t need this kind of approach. You just need to think about what you’re already eating, and how you could make it a little bit better.
This means fiddling and adjusting. Making small changes and improvements to what you already normally eat and enjoy, one small step at a time. Think about a spectrum of food quality rather than “bad” or “good” foods. Welcome to the meal transformation game. When you play with the idea of a food spectrum or food continuum, you get to experiment with variables like:
what you eat, and
how you eat it.
Think of this as a game. How can you play “make this meal just a little bit better” in every situation? In which situations is that easier or harder? When your choices are limited (for instance, when you’re traveling, or eating at a workplace cafeteria), how can you shoot for “a little bit better” while still being realistic, and without trying to be “perfect”? Let’s transform breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Here’s how that “food spectrum” might look in daily life, with a sample day of eating.
Transforming breakfast
Stage 1
Let’s say that your go-to breakfast is a whipped-cream coffee drink and a chocolate croissant. You pick it up in the drive-thru, and wolf it down on your way to work. This is your starting point. It’s not “bad”. It’s just no longer working for you. You’re getting indigestion from rushing, the croissant doesn’t hold you at all, and you’ve just spilled the coffee on your crotch while changing lanes. Now your game is to improve your breakfast just a little bit, starting with what you already have or do.
Stage 2
Your opening moves in the meal transformation game:
You might replace the croissant with a whole grain muffin.
Instead of a “dessert in a cup”, you get a regular coffee with a single cream and sugar.
You grab a yogurt cup on your way out of the house for a bit of protein.
Naturally, you’re still rushed and busy…so you eat your breakfast with some distractions, while scrolling through emails at work. But this is a solid start. Well done.
Stage 3
Next level of game play:
You switch the muffin to granola with cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
You switch the cream in your coffee for 2% milk. (Or even go right to black coffee, you meal player you!)
You add some colorful fruit.
You’re now eating out of dishes on a table, instead of out of takeout packages off the dashboard of your car.
Of course, you’re still checking out the news headlines while you eat… No problem. We’re keeping it real. Stage 4 Now you are seriously playing like a pro.
You’ve changed “rushing and panicked” to “set aside a little extra time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast”.
You cleverly prepped an egg frittata with veggies in advance on your food prep day.
The coffee’s become green tea, since you noticed that too much coffee was tweaking you out.
The protein plus colorful fruit and veg have become the stars of the meal.You’ve discovered you really like lemon water. (WHAT? You don’t even know you anymore!)
You eat mindfully, feeling relaxed, while watching the sun rise. Ahhh
Transforming lunch
Stage 1
At this point, starting out, the idea of a sit-down lunch feels flat out ridiculous. “Eat slowly? Who has time for that during a busy workday? Grab a burger and go!” Another “car dashboard” meal. Another stomach ache and regret. You decide you might want to play with this meal too.
Stage 2
To improve this meal a little bit:
You go to a higher-end burger place where you’re pretty sure they use real meat.
You get a side salad with that burger, and maybe just a few potato chips.
You choose a diet soda instead of regular.
You don’t eat in your car, but you do eat by your computer. That’s OK. You’re progressing.
Stage 3
At this stage, you’re doing a little prep work:
You whipped up some burgers in advance so they are handy and ready to take to work.
You also grabbed some nice cheese and whole grain buns from the local market on shopping day.
For lunch, all you have to do is take your homemade burger and its fixins to work.
You still grab a diet cola from the vending machine to wash it down.
You move from your desk to the lunchroom, where you socialize with co-workers. This slows you down a bit and helps you digest and relax.
Stage 4
You’re having the burger without the bun, alongside a nice pre-prepped salad. Instead of staying at your desk or in the office, you take a break.
You sit outside and get some fresh air while you enjoy your meal. For a drink, water’s all you need.
Transforming dinner
Stage 1
It’s 8pm. You’ve just gotten home after an insane day at work. All you want to do is put food into your face and zone out in front of the TV. You can’t even imagine making anything more complicated than boxed macaroni ‘n’ cheese right now. Ketchup and hot dogs are as fancy as it gets.
Stage 2
Same concept, but:
You’re adding some extra protein with the help of a rotisserie chicken leg that you grabbed at the grocery store on the way home.
You’ve added a side salad, just grabbing a few handfuls of pre-washed greens out of a bag.
You’ve whipped up your own pasta.
Work is still on your mind, and a couple drinks will take the edge off.
Stage 3
Things are getting fancy.
You’re upping the protein with a little more chicken.
You’re having a little less pasta.
You’ve also added a nice big salad to the mix.
You’ve cut the booze to 1 drink.
Plus, you’re sitting at the dinner table, instead of flopping down on your couch or standing over the sink.
Stage 4
Again, we’re playing at pro level here. With your meal planning and prep strategies, even a weeknight dinner looks good.
You can whip up a delicious salad in 3 minutes flat and you have some pre-cooked quinoa on hand.
That rotisserie chicken is still a fast, convenient option, but now it’s got some healthy buddies.
You’re indulging in a single glass of good wine these days, and you take time to savor it.
Meal transformation is not about reaching perfection. If you’re at stage 1, all you have to do is shoot for stage 2. Or stage 1.5. If you’re in stage 2, play with getting to stage 3. And if you’re stage 3, heck, you can stay where you are. You might never get to stage 4. Or it might only happen at times when you’re relaxed and have a little extra time. Stage 4 might only happen on Sunday night, whereas the rest of your week is a mix of stages 1, 2, and — if you’re super lucky — 3. And that’s OK. How far you progress along the continuum all depends on what YOU want, what YOU need, and what YOU can reasonably do, right now. Over time, things can change. Play YOUR game.
Read the full article on https://www.precisionnutrition.com/meal-plans-usually-suck
GYMNASTICS
This week is working on or developing our Butterfly pull-ups / Chest To Bar while continuing to work on our Hand Stand Push Ups!
PURE STRENGTH
Monday: We test our 1RM strict press & finish off with some upper body pulling strength + accessories
Wednesday: We test our 3RM squat (front or back) followed by lots of hamstring & knee health work
WEIGHTLIFTING
Split Jerk Doubles
Into
2 High Hang into
1 Squat Cleans
Then % clean and jerks to finish off the session
Track Tuesday
1 lap of the track run many times! Simplicity is this weeks aim as we work on lactate tolerance.
Start time: 05:59am
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Wednesday ride
This week is back to hard work! Some 2 min efforts into one longer harder effort! Will need some fuel for this one.
Start time: 05:59am
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
The Coffee Run
This weeks session is a expressive tempo session, starting with 2 builds to dial in your effort and find what tempo feel like for that day. We then finish with a 5 minute hard effort where you can see what is left in the tank.
Start time: 05:59
Session length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumierah Beach Track
.jpg)
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Easy and Strength
Our Monday session starts with a very easy 20-30 mins recovery run. This is a great chance to flush your legs out post weekend training, and ease yourself into the new week.
We will then spend 30 mins in the gym, to help you run strong. The rep scheme is on it's way back up; can you hold the same weights as last week?
Tuesday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This is a speed session with the wider InnerFight Endurance community & coaches to help you run fast. This week we are running 400m repeats.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Intervals
This week we will be running the entire loop of the "LRC Track" (1.3km) at an 8/10. You get some rest before repeat this rep scheme 3-4 times.
Friday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
Some Tempo holds for you this week at The Coffee Run, followed by a 5 mins best effort. No Weakness.
*Track Tuesday and Coffee Run will host male and female runners
.jpg)
We are kicking the week off with heavy back squats and then into a high-skill wall ball and gymnastic workout. On Tuesday, we are testing heavy split jerks again, now down to singles. Wednesday has Turkish get-ups and a tough EMOM, including sleds, wall sits, and mixed kettlebell carries. Thursday, we focus on some heavy weightlifting in snatches and then into a quarterfinals repeat from 2023. Friday is going to be big—some CrossFit Semi-Final action!
Monday:
Strength:
Back Squats
Conditioning:
For Time:
3 Rounds
20 Wall Balls 9/6kg
10 Toes To Bar
2 rounds:
20 Wall Balls
10 Chest To Bar
1 round:
20 Wall Balls
10 Bar Muscle Ups
Tuesday:
Strength:
A) BTN Split Jerks
B) Split Jerk
Conditioning:
4:00 min work : 2:00 minutes rest x 4 sets
30/20/15 Cal Assault Bike
20 Alt. DB Hang C&J
AMRAP Burpee Box Jump w Step Down
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Turkish Get Ups + Hollow Rocks
Conditioning:
Strongman
30s On / 30s Off x 21
1) AMRAP Mixed Carry *
2) KB Goblet Wall Sit
3) Reverse Sled Drag (80/50kg)
RX = 2 x 24/16kg
* Mixed Carry = 1 KB Front Rack + 1 KB Farmer Carry, swap arms every 25ft
Thursday:
Strength:
Snatches
Conditioning:
AMRAP 12 min
8 Left Arm SA DB Snatch
8 Left Arm SA OH Lunges
8 Right Arm SA DB Snatch
8 Right Arm SA OH Lunges
40 Crossovers
RX = 50 /35Lbs RX+ = 60+ / 45+
Friday:
Strength:
Wide Grip Strict Pull Ups
Conditioning:
A CrossFit Semi Final Special - A Therapy for the Books!
I want to share an article I recently read about transforming your meals into healthier options. It’s about making the right choices that fits your lifestyle. Meal plans and counting macros is not for everybody and sometimes all you need to do is change a few things to make your lifestyle healthier.
You don’t need to weigh and measure everything, or count out your almonds. Ask yourself: “Is someone paying me to do this?” If the answer is no, you likely don’t need this kind of approach. You just need to think about what you’re already eating, and how you could make it a little bit better.
This means fiddling and adjusting. Making small changes and improvements to what you already normally eat and enjoy, one small step at a time. Think about a spectrum of food quality rather than “bad” or “good” foods. Welcome to the meal transformation game. When you play with the idea of a food spectrum or food continuum, you get to experiment with variables like:
what you eat, and
how you eat it.
Think of this as a game. How can you play “make this meal just a little bit better” in every situation? In which situations is that easier or harder? When your choices are limited (for instance, when you’re traveling, or eating at a workplace cafeteria), how can you shoot for “a little bit better” while still being realistic, and without trying to be “perfect”? Let’s transform breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Here’s how that “food spectrum” might look in daily life, with a sample day of eating.
Transforming breakfast
Stage 1
Let’s say that your go-to breakfast is a whipped-cream coffee drink and a chocolate croissant. You pick it up in the drive-thru, and wolf it down on your way to work. This is your starting point. It’s not “bad”. It’s just no longer working for you. You’re getting indigestion from rushing, the croissant doesn’t hold you at all, and you’ve just spilled the coffee on your crotch while changing lanes. Now your game is to improve your breakfast just a little bit, starting with what you already have or do.
Stage 2
Your opening moves in the meal transformation game:
You might replace the croissant with a whole grain muffin.
Instead of a “dessert in a cup”, you get a regular coffee with a single cream and sugar.
You grab a yogurt cup on your way out of the house for a bit of protein.
Naturally, you’re still rushed and busy…so you eat your breakfast with some distractions, while scrolling through emails at work. But this is a solid start. Well done.
Stage 3
Next level of game play:
You switch the muffin to granola with cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
You switch the cream in your coffee for 2% milk. (Or even go right to black coffee, you meal player you!)
You add some colorful fruit.
You’re now eating out of dishes on a table, instead of out of takeout packages off the dashboard of your car.
Of course, you’re still checking out the news headlines while you eat… No problem. We’re keeping it real. Stage 4 Now you are seriously playing like a pro.
You’ve changed “rushing and panicked” to “set aside a little extra time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast”.
You cleverly prepped an egg frittata with veggies in advance on your food prep day.
The coffee’s become green tea, since you noticed that too much coffee was tweaking you out.
The protein plus colorful fruit and veg have become the stars of the meal.You’ve discovered you really like lemon water. (WHAT? You don’t even know you anymore!)
You eat mindfully, feeling relaxed, while watching the sun rise. Ahhh
Transforming lunch
Stage 1
At this point, starting out, the idea of a sit-down lunch feels flat out ridiculous. “Eat slowly? Who has time for that during a busy workday? Grab a burger and go!” Another “car dashboard” meal. Another stomach ache and regret. You decide you might want to play with this meal too.
Stage 2
To improve this meal a little bit:
You go to a higher-end burger place where you’re pretty sure they use real meat.
You get a side salad with that burger, and maybe just a few potato chips.
You choose a diet soda instead of regular.
You don’t eat in your car, but you do eat by your computer. That’s OK. You’re progressing.
Stage 3
At this stage, you’re doing a little prep work:
You whipped up some burgers in advance so they are handy and ready to take to work.
You also grabbed some nice cheese and whole grain buns from the local market on shopping day.
For lunch, all you have to do is take your homemade burger and its fixins to work.
You still grab a diet cola from the vending machine to wash it down.
You move from your desk to the lunchroom, where you socialize with co-workers. This slows you down a bit and helps you digest and relax.
Stage 4
You’re having the burger without the bun, alongside a nice pre-prepped salad. Instead of staying at your desk or in the office, you take a break.
You sit outside and get some fresh air while you enjoy your meal. For a drink, water’s all you need.
Transforming dinner
Stage 1
It’s 8pm. You’ve just gotten home after an insane day at work. All you want to do is put food into your face and zone out in front of the TV. You can’t even imagine making anything more complicated than boxed macaroni ‘n’ cheese right now. Ketchup and hot dogs are as fancy as it gets.
Stage 2
Same concept, but:
You’re adding some extra protein with the help of a rotisserie chicken leg that you grabbed at the grocery store on the way home.
You’ve added a side salad, just grabbing a few handfuls of pre-washed greens out of a bag.
You’ve whipped up your own pasta.
Work is still on your mind, and a couple drinks will take the edge off.
Stage 3
Things are getting fancy.
You’re upping the protein with a little more chicken.
You’re having a little less pasta.
You’ve also added a nice big salad to the mix.
You’ve cut the booze to 1 drink.
Plus, you’re sitting at the dinner table, instead of flopping down on your couch or standing over the sink.
Stage 4
Again, we’re playing at pro level here. With your meal planning and prep strategies, even a weeknight dinner looks good.
You can whip up a delicious salad in 3 minutes flat and you have some pre-cooked quinoa on hand.
That rotisserie chicken is still a fast, convenient option, but now it’s got some healthy buddies.
You’re indulging in a single glass of good wine these days, and you take time to savor it.
Meal transformation is not about reaching perfection. If you’re at stage 1, all you have to do is shoot for stage 2. Or stage 1.5. If you’re in stage 2, play with getting to stage 3. And if you’re stage 3, heck, you can stay where you are. You might never get to stage 4. Or it might only happen at times when you’re relaxed and have a little extra time. Stage 4 might only happen on Sunday night, whereas the rest of your week is a mix of stages 1, 2, and — if you’re super lucky — 3. And that’s OK. How far you progress along the continuum all depends on what YOU want, what YOU need, and what YOU can reasonably do, right now. Over time, things can change. Play YOUR game.
Read the full article on https://www.precisionnutrition.com/meal-plans-usually-suck
Track Tuesday
1 lap of the track run many times! Simplicity is this weeks aim as we work on lactate tolerance.
Start time: 05:59am
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Wednesday ride
This week is back to hard work! Some 2 min efforts into one longer harder effort! Will need some fuel for this one.
Start time: 05:59am
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
The Coffee Run
This weeks session is a expressive tempo session, starting with 2 builds to dial in your effort and find what tempo feel like for that day. We then finish with a 5 minute hard effort where you can see what is left in the tank.
Start time: 05:59
Session length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumierah Beach Track
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Easy and Strength
Our Monday session starts with a very easy 20-30 mins recovery run. This is a great chance to flush your legs out post weekend training, and ease yourself into the new week.
We will then spend 30 mins in the gym, to help you run strong. The rep scheme is on it's way back up; can you hold the same weights as last week?
Tuesday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This is a speed session with the wider InnerFight Endurance community & coaches to help you run fast. This week we are running 400m repeats.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Intervals
This week we will be running the entire loop of the "LRC Track" (1.3km) at an 8/10. You get some rest before repeat this rep scheme 3-4 times.
Friday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
Some Tempo holds for you this week at The Coffee Run, followed by a 5 mins best effort. No Weakness.
*Track Tuesday and Coffee Run will host male and female runners
We are kicking the week off with heavy back squats and then into a high-skill wall ball and gymnastic workout. On Tuesday, we are testing heavy split jerks again, now down to singles. Wednesday has Turkish get-ups and a tough EMOM, including sleds, wall sits, and mixed kettlebell carries. Thursday, we focus on some heavy weightlifting in snatches and then into a quarterfinals repeat from 2023. Friday is going to be big—some CrossFit Semi-Final action!
Monday:
Strength:
Back Squats
Conditioning:
For Time:
3 Rounds
20 Wall Balls 9/6kg
10 Toes To Bar
2 rounds:
20 Wall Balls
10 Chest To Bar
1 round:
20 Wall Balls
10 Bar Muscle Ups
Tuesday:
Strength:
A) BTN Split Jerks
B) Split Jerk
Conditioning:
4:00 min work : 2:00 minutes rest x 4 sets
30/20/15 Cal Assault Bike
20 Alt. DB Hang C&J
AMRAP Burpee Box Jump w Step Down
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Turkish Get Ups + Hollow Rocks
Conditioning:
Strongman
30s On / 30s Off x 21
1) AMRAP Mixed Carry *
2) KB Goblet Wall Sit
3) Reverse Sled Drag (80/50kg)
RX = 2 x 24/16kg
* Mixed Carry = 1 KB Front Rack + 1 KB Farmer Carry, swap arms every 25ft
Thursday:
Strength:
Snatches
Conditioning:
AMRAP 12 min
8 Left Arm SA DB Snatch
8 Left Arm SA OH Lunges
8 Right Arm SA DB Snatch
8 Right Arm SA OH Lunges
40 Crossovers
RX = 50 /35Lbs RX+ = 60+ / 45+
Friday:
Strength:
Wide Grip Strict Pull Ups
Conditioning:
A CrossFit Semi Final Special - A Therapy for the Books!
GYMNASTICS
This week is working on or developing our Butterfly pull-ups / Chest To Bar while continuing to work on our Hand Stand Push Ups!
PURE STRENGTH
Monday: We test our 1RM strict press & finish off with some upper body pulling strength + accessories
Wednesday: We test our 3RM squat (front or back) followed by lots of hamstring & knee health work
WEIGHTLIFTING
Split Jerk Doubles
Into
2 High Hang into
1 Squat Cleans
Then % clean and jerks to finish off the session
I want to share an article I recently read about transforming your meals into healthier options. It’s about making the right choices that fits your lifestyle. Meal plans and counting macros is not for everybody and sometimes all you need to do is change a few things to make your lifestyle healthier.
You don’t need to weigh and measure everything, or count out your almonds. Ask yourself: “Is someone paying me to do this?” If the answer is no, you likely don’t need this kind of approach. You just need to think about what you’re already eating, and how you could make it a little bit better.
This means fiddling and adjusting. Making small changes and improvements to what you already normally eat and enjoy, one small step at a time. Think about a spectrum of food quality rather than “bad” or “good” foods. Welcome to the meal transformation game. When you play with the idea of a food spectrum or food continuum, you get to experiment with variables like:
what you eat, and
how you eat it.
Think of this as a game. How can you play “make this meal just a little bit better” in every situation? In which situations is that easier or harder? When your choices are limited (for instance, when you’re traveling, or eating at a workplace cafeteria), how can you shoot for “a little bit better” while still being realistic, and without trying to be “perfect”? Let’s transform breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Here’s how that “food spectrum” might look in daily life, with a sample day of eating.
Transforming breakfast
Stage 1
Let’s say that your go-to breakfast is a whipped-cream coffee drink and a chocolate croissant. You pick it up in the drive-thru, and wolf it down on your way to work. This is your starting point. It’s not “bad”. It’s just no longer working for you. You’re getting indigestion from rushing, the croissant doesn’t hold you at all, and you’ve just spilled the coffee on your crotch while changing lanes. Now your game is to improve your breakfast just a little bit, starting with what you already have or do.
Stage 2
Your opening moves in the meal transformation game:
You might replace the croissant with a whole grain muffin.
Instead of a “dessert in a cup”, you get a regular coffee with a single cream and sugar.
You grab a yogurt cup on your way out of the house for a bit of protein.
Naturally, you’re still rushed and busy…so you eat your breakfast with some distractions, while scrolling through emails at work. But this is a solid start. Well done.
Stage 3
Next level of game play:
You switch the muffin to granola with cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
You switch the cream in your coffee for 2% milk. (Or even go right to black coffee, you meal player you!)
You add some colorful fruit.
You’re now eating out of dishes on a table, instead of out of takeout packages off the dashboard of your car.
Of course, you’re still checking out the news headlines while you eat… No problem. We’re keeping it real. Stage 4 Now you are seriously playing like a pro.
You’ve changed “rushing and panicked” to “set aside a little extra time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast”.
You cleverly prepped an egg frittata with veggies in advance on your food prep day.
The coffee’s become green tea, since you noticed that too much coffee was tweaking you out.
The protein plus colorful fruit and veg have become the stars of the meal.You’ve discovered you really like lemon water. (WHAT? You don’t even know you anymore!)
You eat mindfully, feeling relaxed, while watching the sun rise. Ahhh
Transforming lunch
Stage 1
At this point, starting out, the idea of a sit-down lunch feels flat out ridiculous. “Eat slowly? Who has time for that during a busy workday? Grab a burger and go!” Another “car dashboard” meal. Another stomach ache and regret. You decide you might want to play with this meal too.
Stage 2
To improve this meal a little bit:
You go to a higher-end burger place where you’re pretty sure they use real meat.
You get a side salad with that burger, and maybe just a few potato chips.
You choose a diet soda instead of regular.
You don’t eat in your car, but you do eat by your computer. That’s OK. You’re progressing.
Stage 3
At this stage, you’re doing a little prep work:
You whipped up some burgers in advance so they are handy and ready to take to work.
You also grabbed some nice cheese and whole grain buns from the local market on shopping day.
For lunch, all you have to do is take your homemade burger and its fixins to work.
You still grab a diet cola from the vending machine to wash it down.
You move from your desk to the lunchroom, where you socialize with co-workers. This slows you down a bit and helps you digest and relax.
Stage 4
You’re having the burger without the bun, alongside a nice pre-prepped salad. Instead of staying at your desk or in the office, you take a break.
You sit outside and get some fresh air while you enjoy your meal. For a drink, water’s all you need.
Transforming dinner
Stage 1
It’s 8pm. You’ve just gotten home after an insane day at work. All you want to do is put food into your face and zone out in front of the TV. You can’t even imagine making anything more complicated than boxed macaroni ‘n’ cheese right now. Ketchup and hot dogs are as fancy as it gets.
Stage 2
Same concept, but:
You’re adding some extra protein with the help of a rotisserie chicken leg that you grabbed at the grocery store on the way home.
You’ve added a side salad, just grabbing a few handfuls of pre-washed greens out of a bag.
You’ve whipped up your own pasta.
Work is still on your mind, and a couple drinks will take the edge off.
Stage 3
Things are getting fancy.
You’re upping the protein with a little more chicken.
You’re having a little less pasta.
You’ve also added a nice big salad to the mix.
You’ve cut the booze to 1 drink.
Plus, you’re sitting at the dinner table, instead of flopping down on your couch or standing over the sink.
Stage 4
Again, we’re playing at pro level here. With your meal planning and prep strategies, even a weeknight dinner looks good.
You can whip up a delicious salad in 3 minutes flat and you have some pre-cooked quinoa on hand.
That rotisserie chicken is still a fast, convenient option, but now it’s got some healthy buddies.
You’re indulging in a single glass of good wine these days, and you take time to savor it.
Meal transformation is not about reaching perfection. If you’re at stage 1, all you have to do is shoot for stage 2. Or stage 1.5. If you’re in stage 2, play with getting to stage 3. And if you’re stage 3, heck, you can stay where you are. You might never get to stage 4. Or it might only happen at times when you’re relaxed and have a little extra time. Stage 4 might only happen on Sunday night, whereas the rest of your week is a mix of stages 1, 2, and — if you’re super lucky — 3. And that’s OK. How far you progress along the continuum all depends on what YOU want, what YOU need, and what YOU can reasonably do, right now. Over time, things can change. Play YOUR game.
Read the full article on https://www.precisionnutrition.com/meal-plans-usually-suck
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Easy and Strength
Our Monday session starts with a very easy 20-30 mins recovery run. This is a great chance to flush your legs out post weekend training, and ease yourself into the new week.
We will then spend 30 mins in the gym, to help you run strong. The rep scheme is on it's way back up; can you hold the same weights as last week?
Tuesday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This is a speed session with the wider InnerFight Endurance community & coaches to help you run fast. This week we are running 400m repeats.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Intervals
This week we will be running the entire loop of the "LRC Track" (1.3km) at an 8/10. You get some rest before repeat this rep scheme 3-4 times.
Friday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
Some Tempo holds for you this week at The Coffee Run, followed by a 5 mins best effort. No Weakness.
*Track Tuesday and Coffee Run will host male and female runners
We are kicking the week off with heavy back squats and then into a high-skill wall ball and gymnastic workout. On Tuesday, we are testing heavy split jerks again, now down to singles. Wednesday has Turkish get-ups and a tough EMOM, including sleds, wall sits, and mixed kettlebell carries. Thursday, we focus on some heavy weightlifting in snatches and then into a quarterfinals repeat from 2023. Friday is going to be big—some CrossFit Semi-Final action!
Monday:
Strength:
Back Squats
Conditioning:
For Time:
3 Rounds
20 Wall Balls 9/6kg
10 Toes To Bar
2 rounds:
20 Wall Balls
10 Chest To Bar
1 round:
20 Wall Balls
10 Bar Muscle Ups
Tuesday:
Strength:
A) BTN Split Jerks
B) Split Jerk
Conditioning:
4:00 min work : 2:00 minutes rest x 4 sets
30/20/15 Cal Assault Bike
20 Alt. DB Hang C&J
AMRAP Burpee Box Jump w Step Down
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Turkish Get Ups + Hollow Rocks
Conditioning:
Strongman
30s On / 30s Off x 21
1) AMRAP Mixed Carry *
2) KB Goblet Wall Sit
3) Reverse Sled Drag (80/50kg)
RX = 2 x 24/16kg
* Mixed Carry = 1 KB Front Rack + 1 KB Farmer Carry, swap arms every 25ft
Thursday:
Strength:
Snatches
Conditioning:
AMRAP 12 min
8 Left Arm SA DB Snatch
8 Left Arm SA OH Lunges
8 Right Arm SA DB Snatch
8 Right Arm SA OH Lunges
40 Crossovers
RX = 50 /35Lbs RX+ = 60+ / 45+
Friday:
Strength:
Wide Grip Strict Pull Ups
Conditioning:
A CrossFit Semi Final Special - A Therapy for the Books!
GYMNASTICS
This week is working on or developing our Butterfly pull-ups / Chest To Bar while continuing to work on our Hand Stand Push Ups!
PURE STRENGTH
Monday: We test our 1RM strict press & finish off with some upper body pulling strength + accessories
Wednesday: We test our 3RM squat (front or back) followed by lots of hamstring & knee health work
WEIGHTLIFTING
Split Jerk Doubles
Into
2 High Hang into
1 Squat Cleans
Then % clean and jerks to finish off the session
Track Tuesday
1 lap of the track run many times! Simplicity is this weeks aim as we work on lactate tolerance.
Start time: 05:59am
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Wednesday ride
This week is back to hard work! Some 2 min efforts into one longer harder effort! Will need some fuel for this one.
Start time: 05:59am
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
The Coffee Run
This weeks session is a expressive tempo session, starting with 2 builds to dial in your effort and find what tempo feel like for that day. We then finish with a 5 minute hard effort where you can see what is left in the tank.
Start time: 05:59
Session length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumierah Beach Track
I want to share an article I recently read about transforming your meals into healthier options. It’s about making the right choices that fits your lifestyle. Meal plans and counting macros is not for everybody and sometimes all you need to do is change a few things to make your lifestyle healthier.
You don’t need to weigh and measure everything, or count out your almonds. Ask yourself: “Is someone paying me to do this?” If the answer is no, you likely don’t need this kind of approach. You just need to think about what you’re already eating, and how you could make it a little bit better.
This means fiddling and adjusting. Making small changes and improvements to what you already normally eat and enjoy, one small step at a time. Think about a spectrum of food quality rather than “bad” or “good” foods. Welcome to the meal transformation game. When you play with the idea of a food spectrum or food continuum, you get to experiment with variables like:
what you eat, and
how you eat it.
Think of this as a game. How can you play “make this meal just a little bit better” in every situation? In which situations is that easier or harder? When your choices are limited (for instance, when you’re traveling, or eating at a workplace cafeteria), how can you shoot for “a little bit better” while still being realistic, and without trying to be “perfect”? Let’s transform breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Here’s how that “food spectrum” might look in daily life, with a sample day of eating.
Transforming breakfast
Stage 1
Let’s say that your go-to breakfast is a whipped-cream coffee drink and a chocolate croissant. You pick it up in the drive-thru, and wolf it down on your way to work. This is your starting point. It’s not “bad”. It’s just no longer working for you. You’re getting indigestion from rushing, the croissant doesn’t hold you at all, and you’ve just spilled the coffee on your crotch while changing lanes. Now your game is to improve your breakfast just a little bit, starting with what you already have or do.
Stage 2
Your opening moves in the meal transformation game:
You might replace the croissant with a whole grain muffin.
Instead of a “dessert in a cup”, you get a regular coffee with a single cream and sugar.
You grab a yogurt cup on your way out of the house for a bit of protein.
Naturally, you’re still rushed and busy…so you eat your breakfast with some distractions, while scrolling through emails at work. But this is a solid start. Well done.
Stage 3
Next level of game play:
You switch the muffin to granola with cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
You switch the cream in your coffee for 2% milk. (Or even go right to black coffee, you meal player you!)
You add some colorful fruit.
You’re now eating out of dishes on a table, instead of out of takeout packages off the dashboard of your car.
Of course, you’re still checking out the news headlines while you eat… No problem. We’re keeping it real. Stage 4 Now you are seriously playing like a pro.
You’ve changed “rushing and panicked” to “set aside a little extra time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast”.
You cleverly prepped an egg frittata with veggies in advance on your food prep day.
The coffee’s become green tea, since you noticed that too much coffee was tweaking you out.
The protein plus colorful fruit and veg have become the stars of the meal.You’ve discovered you really like lemon water. (WHAT? You don’t even know you anymore!)
You eat mindfully, feeling relaxed, while watching the sun rise. Ahhh
Transforming lunch
Stage 1
At this point, starting out, the idea of a sit-down lunch feels flat out ridiculous. “Eat slowly? Who has time for that during a busy workday? Grab a burger and go!” Another “car dashboard” meal. Another stomach ache and regret. You decide you might want to play with this meal too.
Stage 2
To improve this meal a little bit:
You go to a higher-end burger place where you’re pretty sure they use real meat.
You get a side salad with that burger, and maybe just a few potato chips.
You choose a diet soda instead of regular.
You don’t eat in your car, but you do eat by your computer. That’s OK. You’re progressing.
Stage 3
At this stage, you’re doing a little prep work:
You whipped up some burgers in advance so they are handy and ready to take to work.
You also grabbed some nice cheese and whole grain buns from the local market on shopping day.
For lunch, all you have to do is take your homemade burger and its fixins to work.
You still grab a diet cola from the vending machine to wash it down.
You move from your desk to the lunchroom, where you socialize with co-workers. This slows you down a bit and helps you digest and relax.
Stage 4
You’re having the burger without the bun, alongside a nice pre-prepped salad. Instead of staying at your desk or in the office, you take a break.
You sit outside and get some fresh air while you enjoy your meal. For a drink, water’s all you need.
Transforming dinner
Stage 1
It’s 8pm. You’ve just gotten home after an insane day at work. All you want to do is put food into your face and zone out in front of the TV. You can’t even imagine making anything more complicated than boxed macaroni ‘n’ cheese right now. Ketchup and hot dogs are as fancy as it gets.
Stage 2
Same concept, but:
You’re adding some extra protein with the help of a rotisserie chicken leg that you grabbed at the grocery store on the way home.
You’ve added a side salad, just grabbing a few handfuls of pre-washed greens out of a bag.
You’ve whipped up your own pasta.
Work is still on your mind, and a couple drinks will take the edge off.
Stage 3
Things are getting fancy.
You’re upping the protein with a little more chicken.
You’re having a little less pasta.
You’ve also added a nice big salad to the mix.
You’ve cut the booze to 1 drink.
Plus, you’re sitting at the dinner table, instead of flopping down on your couch or standing over the sink.
Stage 4
Again, we’re playing at pro level here. With your meal planning and prep strategies, even a weeknight dinner looks good.
You can whip up a delicious salad in 3 minutes flat and you have some pre-cooked quinoa on hand.
That rotisserie chicken is still a fast, convenient option, but now it’s got some healthy buddies.
You’re indulging in a single glass of good wine these days, and you take time to savor it.
Meal transformation is not about reaching perfection. If you’re at stage 1, all you have to do is shoot for stage 2. Or stage 1.5. If you’re in stage 2, play with getting to stage 3. And if you’re stage 3, heck, you can stay where you are. You might never get to stage 4. Or it might only happen at times when you’re relaxed and have a little extra time. Stage 4 might only happen on Sunday night, whereas the rest of your week is a mix of stages 1, 2, and — if you’re super lucky — 3. And that’s OK. How far you progress along the continuum all depends on what YOU want, what YOU need, and what YOU can reasonably do, right now. Over time, things can change. Play YOUR game.
Read the full article on https://www.precisionnutrition.com/meal-plans-usually-suck
I want to share an article I recently read about transforming your meals into healthier options. It’s about making the right choices that fits your lifestyle. Meal plans and counting macros is not for everybody and sometimes all you need to do is change a few things to make your lifestyle healthier.
You don’t need to weigh and measure everything, or count out your almonds. Ask yourself: “Is someone paying me to do this?” If the answer is no, you likely don’t need this kind of approach. You just need to think about what you’re already eating, and how you could make it a little bit better.
This means fiddling and adjusting. Making small changes and improvements to what you already normally eat and enjoy, one small step at a time. Think about a spectrum of food quality rather than “bad” or “good” foods. Welcome to the meal transformation game. When you play with the idea of a food spectrum or food continuum, you get to experiment with variables like:
what you eat, and
how you eat it.
Think of this as a game. How can you play “make this meal just a little bit better” in every situation? In which situations is that easier or harder? When your choices are limited (for instance, when you’re traveling, or eating at a workplace cafeteria), how can you shoot for “a little bit better” while still being realistic, and without trying to be “perfect”? Let’s transform breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Here’s how that “food spectrum” might look in daily life, with a sample day of eating.
Transforming breakfast
Stage 1
Let’s say that your go-to breakfast is a whipped-cream coffee drink and a chocolate croissant. You pick it up in the drive-thru, and wolf it down on your way to work. This is your starting point. It’s not “bad”. It’s just no longer working for you. You’re getting indigestion from rushing, the croissant doesn’t hold you at all, and you’ve just spilled the coffee on your crotch while changing lanes. Now your game is to improve your breakfast just a little bit, starting with what you already have or do.
Stage 2
Your opening moves in the meal transformation game:
You might replace the croissant with a whole grain muffin.
Instead of a “dessert in a cup”, you get a regular coffee with a single cream and sugar.
You grab a yogurt cup on your way out of the house for a bit of protein.
Naturally, you’re still rushed and busy…so you eat your breakfast with some distractions, while scrolling through emails at work. But this is a solid start. Well done.
Stage 3
Next level of game play:
You switch the muffin to granola with cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
You switch the cream in your coffee for 2% milk. (Or even go right to black coffee, you meal player you!)
You add some colorful fruit.
You’re now eating out of dishes on a table, instead of out of takeout packages off the dashboard of your car.
Of course, you’re still checking out the news headlines while you eat… No problem. We’re keeping it real. Stage 4 Now you are seriously playing like a pro.
You’ve changed “rushing and panicked” to “set aside a little extra time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast”.
You cleverly prepped an egg frittata with veggies in advance on your food prep day.
The coffee’s become green tea, since you noticed that too much coffee was tweaking you out.
The protein plus colorful fruit and veg have become the stars of the meal.You’ve discovered you really like lemon water. (WHAT? You don’t even know you anymore!)
You eat mindfully, feeling relaxed, while watching the sun rise. Ahhh
Transforming lunch
Stage 1
At this point, starting out, the idea of a sit-down lunch feels flat out ridiculous. “Eat slowly? Who has time for that during a busy workday? Grab a burger and go!” Another “car dashboard” meal. Another stomach ache and regret. You decide you might want to play with this meal too.
Stage 2
To improve this meal a little bit:
You go to a higher-end burger place where you’re pretty sure they use real meat.
You get a side salad with that burger, and maybe just a few potato chips.
You choose a diet soda instead of regular.
You don’t eat in your car, but you do eat by your computer. That’s OK. You’re progressing.
Stage 3
At this stage, you’re doing a little prep work:
You whipped up some burgers in advance so they are handy and ready to take to work.
You also grabbed some nice cheese and whole grain buns from the local market on shopping day.
For lunch, all you have to do is take your homemade burger and its fixins to work.
You still grab a diet cola from the vending machine to wash it down.
You move from your desk to the lunchroom, where you socialize with co-workers. This slows you down a bit and helps you digest and relax.
Stage 4
You’re having the burger without the bun, alongside a nice pre-prepped salad. Instead of staying at your desk or in the office, you take a break.
You sit outside and get some fresh air while you enjoy your meal. For a drink, water’s all you need.
Transforming dinner
Stage 1
It’s 8pm. You’ve just gotten home after an insane day at work. All you want to do is put food into your face and zone out in front of the TV. You can’t even imagine making anything more complicated than boxed macaroni ‘n’ cheese right now. Ketchup and hot dogs are as fancy as it gets.
Stage 2
Same concept, but:
You’re adding some extra protein with the help of a rotisserie chicken leg that you grabbed at the grocery store on the way home.
You’ve added a side salad, just grabbing a few handfuls of pre-washed greens out of a bag.
You’ve whipped up your own pasta.
Work is still on your mind, and a couple drinks will take the edge off.
Stage 3
Things are getting fancy.
You’re upping the protein with a little more chicken.
You’re having a little less pasta.
You’ve also added a nice big salad to the mix.
You’ve cut the booze to 1 drink.
Plus, you’re sitting at the dinner table, instead of flopping down on your couch or standing over the sink.
Stage 4
Again, we’re playing at pro level here. With your meal planning and prep strategies, even a weeknight dinner looks good.
You can whip up a delicious salad in 3 minutes flat and you have some pre-cooked quinoa on hand.
That rotisserie chicken is still a fast, convenient option, but now it’s got some healthy buddies.
You’re indulging in a single glass of good wine these days, and you take time to savor it.
Meal transformation is not about reaching perfection. If you’re at stage 1, all you have to do is shoot for stage 2. Or stage 1.5. If you’re in stage 2, play with getting to stage 3. And if you’re stage 3, heck, you can stay where you are. You might never get to stage 4. Or it might only happen at times when you’re relaxed and have a little extra time. Stage 4 might only happen on Sunday night, whereas the rest of your week is a mix of stages 1, 2, and — if you’re super lucky — 3. And that’s OK. How far you progress along the continuum all depends on what YOU want, what YOU need, and what YOU can reasonably do, right now. Over time, things can change. Play YOUR game.
Read the full article on https://www.precisionnutrition.com/meal-plans-usually-suck
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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